THE HISTORIC ROOTS OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH, THE AUTHENTIC CHURCH FOUNDED BY OUR LORD, GOD, AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

The Historic Roots of the Orthodox Church, the Authentic
Church Founded by our Lord, God, and Savior
JESUS CHRIST.

“And being assembled together with them, He commanded them
not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of of the
Father, ‘which,’ He said, ‘you have heard from Me; for John truly
baptized with the water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit
not many days from now…you shall receive power when the Holy
Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in
Jerusalem…and to the end of the earth…

“…When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one
accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven,
as of rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were
sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and
sat upon each of them and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began
to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” [Acts 1:4-2:4].

The above Scriptural testimony and account reveals the BIRTH OF THE CHURCH at Pentecost. On the day the Holy Spirit descended on the Twelve Apostles and those gathered in the Upper Room, and by afternoon some three thousand souls believed in Christ AND WERE BAPTIZED. The Sacred Scripture records that when the first Christian community began, “they continued steadfastly in the Apostles’ DOCTRINE AND FELLOWSHIP, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers’ [Acts 2:42].

From Jerusalem, faith in Christ spread throughout Judea, to Samaria [Acts 8:5-39], to Antioch and to the Gentiles (Acts 11:19-26). Soon there were CONVERTS and new Churches throughout Asia Minor and the Roman Empire as recorded in the Book of Acts and the Epistles. The Church, of course, was NOT simply another organization in Roman society. Our Lord Jesus Christ had given the promise of the Holy Spirit to “GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH” [John 16:13]. The Holy Apostle Paul called the Church”A DWELLING PLACE OF GOD IN THE SPIRIT” [Ephesians 2:22]. “The Church is a dynamic organism, THE LIVING BODY OF JESUS CHRIST. She makes an indelible impact in the world, and those who live in her life and faith ARE PERSONALLY TRANSFORMED.”

Eusebius Pamphili, Bishop of Caesarea was the first Church Historian. His Church History is a rich collection of historical facts, documents, and writings from the First Three Centuries. We know from him and other Holy Fathers, how very important Church History is for everyone. The History of the Holy Orthodox Church is significant because it establishes the Church’s claim TO BE THE AUTHENTIC OR TRUE CHURCH OF CHRIST ON EARTH. As Orthodox Christians we believe that ITS HISTORY IS UNBROKEN AND CONTINUOUS, FROM JESUS CHRIST AND HIS HOLY APOSTLES TO THE PRESENT DAY.

Our Holy Orthodox Church believes “IN ONE HOLY, CATHOLIC, AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH” [Creed]. Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ founded ONLY ONE HOLY CHURCH and not thousands upon thousands as occurs today. There may be some of us who learn that for the first 1000 years of Christian History there was JUST ONE CHURCH. Tragically, however, in 1054 A.D. The Church suffered the so-called “Great Schism.” A formal separation of the Roman Patriarchate from Orthodoxy, due to the introduction of the Western Church, which added to the Creed the “filioque” clause. The Filioque affirms that the Holy Spirit PROCEEDS FROM THE FATHER AND THE SON. Both the Papal claims and the Filioque were strongly repudiated by the Orthodox East.

Why do I bring to your attention a brief History of the Church? Because over decades of serving as a parish priest I learned that many of the more recent converts to Orthodoxy can be attributed to the person seeking the true Church and who found it through his/her quest to discover the ancient or early Church historically. They sought out to find if there was still a remnant of it in the world and were led by God to the Holy Orthodox Church, The Church of the New Testament. Other than having Missions all over the world to help the poor, the destitute, and neglected, our Holy Church does not proselytize Christians of other and different traditions. Our Holy Orthodox Church still remains “a great secret.”

The great pillars of the Church convened the Seven Ecumenical Synods or Councils and formulated the Church’s Dogmatic Theology under the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit. As such, they constitute a PERMANENT STANDARD FOR AN ORTHODOX UNDERSTANDING FOR AN ORTHODOX: Understanding of the Holy Trinity, the Person of Christ,, and the Incarnation, the person of the Theotokos and many other significant dogmas.

History is not only necessary and beneficial to the converts but it should be just as important to those who were born and raised in the Orthodox Church. The more a Christian knows about the Sacred History, Holy Tradition, the Holy Dogmas, Holy Scripture, Holy Mysteries and Divine Worship of the Church, the more he/she appreciates the wholeness or fullness of the Faith. It is incumbent that all Orthodox Christians protect and preserve the sanctity of the true Church of Christ from schism, from heresy, from division, from being influenced by the world and wicked institutions the world creates.

Be strong, be resolute, be firms and unyielding, be not afraid of persecutions from heretics, atheists, pagans, but always remain close to our Lord and Savior Christ by living a pious life, a life of attending to the poor, a life filled with God’s agape, a peaceful and peace-loving life to inspire your fellow man, and finally a life of holiness. It is not enough to claim or to possess the truth, you must also live the true faith. Along with Orthodoxia (Right belief or faith), there is also Orthopraxia (true or right practice of Christian living). Devout Christians know that they are different and more is expected of them. Jesus reminds His followers, “You are the light of the world…Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” [Matthew 5:14-16]. Christian virtues have not only a personal but also a public function. By living according to the holy Gospel, by doing the truth, we will bear “good works” and show the goodness of the “Father” to every person. Again our loving Lord says to us, “You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? If it is good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men” [Matthew 5:13]. “Light” or “salt” illustrates the role of Jesus’ disciples in society. Thus as the “salt” of the earth, Christians are PRESERVERS OF GOD’S COVENANT AND GIVE PROPER FLAVOR TO SOCIETY.

History is extremely important, whether it is our personal history, family history, religious history, cultural history, Church history, medical history or the history of our country. Everything we experience in life, while living in this temporal world, is history. As a young Greek immigrant, I recall, many years ago, that in order to be permitted into America, my parents and our entire family had to produce the proper documents to the American authorities that revealed our family history and to be allowed entry into the country. However, even if one is an American citizen but desires employment from the government he or she will need to cooperate with the authorities and make certain that they have all of one’s background history in order to qualify for the job.

Conversion is the most important first step for anyone. One must be sure and must possess a strong knowledge of the Faith before deciding to enter the Orthodox Church. A person enters the Church through one of the Sacraments, either baptism or chrismation. Therefore no one should take it lightly or marginalize the sacraments. Once a convert has entered the Church he/she, just as the Orthodox Christian that was born and raised in it, ought to abide by the Church’s teachings, i.e., to establish Christian goals such as spirituality, prayer, fasting, piety, a sacramental life, and generally a Church life. An Orthodox Christian should follow the historical Sacred Tradition of the Church and remain steadfast in his/her convictions.

___________
“Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!”
– Saint John Chrysostomos
+ + +

With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George